


Mating Season

by Taua



Series: Blubb blubb [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Dorks in Love, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Implied Mpreg, M/M, MerMay, No Smut, Pining, bit of blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24453496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taua/pseuds/Taua
Summary: It's Vanitas first mating season and he is ready to do anything to make Naminé his mate.However he never took into account he could have a rival - or attract others with his nest.
Relationships: Naminé/Riku Replica (Kingdom Hearts), Naminé/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Blubb blubb [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182719
Comments: 10
Kudos: 32





	Mating Season

**Author's Note:**

> Not familiar with coral reef wildlife?  
> Neither was I :D This webside helped me along.  
> http://www.seasky.org/coral-reef-life/coral-reef-life.html

Mating season.

Warmer currents, algae thriving, creatures moving to their breeding sides. It also meant predators were more alert, but the threat was nothing compared to the joy of seeing little fins of cubby younglings around. They were adorable as they flocked around, clumsily making their first attempts at swimming mere minutes after they hatched. It would take them years to perfect it though, even after the changes brought by adolescence.

Ah yes, mating season… _fucking_ _finally_.

Vanitas had been eagerly waiting for it. For days he was already twitchy, his fins growing and scales itching. He had spent all winter preparing for his entry, training so hard he often fell asleep as soon as his face touched the warm, soft surface of his clam. Swimming against the icy current made his tail grow long while his body gained muscle, making him look more mature and strong compared to his lanky peers. When he wasn't fighting the current he'd be hunting instead, always on the lookout for fish rather than the squids and seaweed the others ate. The meat and protein brought out the color of his scales more, a blue so dark it seemed black with crimson tips and edges. The taste of blood wasn't the best, he'd admit, but well worth the advantage it gave him in return. Not to mention the way it affected his fins; they never flared quite as well when he was a youngling. Age did have an impact, surely, however his diet was a just as big factor.

And now that the season began he truly was a sight to behold - likely the most desirable mer his age.

Vanitas knew even before opening his eyes that his time had finally come. The changes were subtle, but to him they were as plain as the light of day. In a flash he was out of his clam and dived through the cave, fearlessly emerging into the open to greet the season and start gathering the supplies for his nest.

The anemones were in full bloom, preening in the warmer water, and the seaweed had gained a richer, healthier color practically overnight. It gently swayed with the current, tilting this way and that, and a group of small fish chased it around for cover.

A surprise, really. By now all fish avoided the area, knowing it was Vanitas' territory, but maybe they turned careless now? Lately he'd been out for tuna rather than the small fries, though he sometimes caught a few of them to bring home for his siblings. They looked up to him but had yet to mature; it would take another few full moons before they really needed to go hunt. However, they were always happy to practice, especially when he decided to show off a little.

"Alright." Vanitas clapped his hands together in front of his body, the webs between his fingers waving as the water pressed out from the space in between. His eyes had slipped closed as he focused, feeling the gentle pull of the current on his fins and skin. The only parts numb to the sensation were the tuffs of ebony black hair framing his face; at the top of his head, where the fan of his gills began and stretched down the sides and behind his ears, he could already sense the pull. It was more obvious against his dorsal fin and tail though.

As he gathered his thoughts, Vanitas evened out his breathing, the water gently gushing in and out through his gills and open mouth. Now things started to get serious - today began the week-long period of wooing his tribe had settled on. Barely enough time to collect things to decorate and built a nest worth to impress his potential mate.

Would he be able to do it?

Hopefully.

No, _surely_.

After all, he had already decided who he wanted to win over. Since the day he spotted her, that beautiful mermaid with the golden fins and frail body which swam idly by, radiating innocence and grace with every turn of her tail. He vaguely remembered her face from when he was a little youngling, a rebellious and aggressive guppy that constantly got into fights and trouble. She was silent and shy, maybe even sick, stuck inside by their guardians with only driftwood and sharp stones as company. The images she carved into it were pretty, admittedly, but back then Vanitas simply didn't care for it enough to be swayed.

However now, as he matured from a juvenile into an adult, and after he saw the image she made of him after he fought off a shark in their homelands… now Vanitas couldn't get her out of his head anymore. So much so he chose to spent his first mating season - and hopefully every one following after - with her.

Naminé was going to be his. From now till the tide stopped coming.

Vanitas swam to the sandy valley surrounded by the Mating Rocks, his strides swift and powerful, determined to be the first there. In order for his nest to be perfect for her, he needed to scout the best spot and claim it for himself. A place where they felt the current just so, barely enough to make their hair float around them. Naminé had long blond hair that swirled prettily around her. Vanitas could barely fight the urge to run his fingers through it, careful and delicate so he wouldn't nick her skin with his claws. He also wanted a nice light for the nest so they could watch the sky bleed at dawn and dusk. The colors were so strong then, lively and vibrant, that even he understood the artistic beauty Naminé saw in it.

He was just about to reach the border of the rocks when a pair of mers appeared before him, blocking his path. Vanitas narrowed his eyes at them, black orbs with ruby irises imbedded in their middle. The sharp eyes of a predator that didn't turn down a fight.

"Halt," one of the mers called. He carried a spear, one looking plain enough to come from a manufacturer. It already made it a struggle for Vanitas to take the guy serious - how not, if he didn't have the dorsal fin to make his own weapon? Vanitas' trusty spear was currently in his cave, waiting for the next bigger hunt. He was skilled enough to take down things smaller than tuna without needing Void Gear.

However, it seemed his skills wouldn't give him much of an advantage if the dirty sneer the mers threw his way were any indication.

As none of them made a move, other than standing in his way, Vanitas drew in a calming breath and announced, "I'm of age and looking for a mate. Let me through."

He tried to swim passed them, but he could barely swish his tail once before one shoved him back with a hand across his chest. " _You_?" the mer chuckled. "As if anyone who got their shells together would ever want to mate with you."

Before he could stop it, Vanitas' fins fanned out threateningly. The ones on his head flared even, the hot blood pumping through his veins amplifying their red.

"Watch who you're talking to, _catfish_ ," the other mer warned and tilted his spear enough to point it at him.

Despite the anger throbbing through his body, Vanitas forced his stance to relax. "It's a right as member of the tribe you're denying me here," he hissed through gritted teeth, "I wonder what the elders would do if they knew."

Now the first mer fanned out his fins - small and plain, blue like the water around them and not bearing a single scar. Vanitas knew he could easily win if it came to a fight; the tips of his armfins were tattered from countless encounters with creatures from the deep, his tailfin a little crooked after a coward's spear sliced it open several seasons ago. It grew back together, the web thicker where the scar ran through, however it didn't affect his swimming in the slightest. Vanitas' body spoke of a life filled with hardships and failures, but it was a small price to pay in return for the acknowledgment of the tribe. Especially the elders wanted to keep him close, if only to use him for his power and skills.

However the others… would always frown down at him, no matter what he did or archived.

The mers exchanged a look - and eventually made room for him to pass. Vanitas couldn't help the sneer on his lips at the sight.

Whatever. Let everyone frown at him. As long as he got what he wanted in the end, the dirty looks where just means to an end.

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------

Though he got held up, Vanitas managed to get a decent overview and feel for the valley before the others arrived. The ground was sandy, even a little muddy if he dug deep enough. On one side the Mating Rocks cleared up, dipping so low one could look out into the open sea. Vanitas piled up a generous amount of sand before he slithered around it, pressing his tail into the group deep enough to leave marks. He made sure to have enough friction to rub off a few scales as well. There weren't many dark mers around; everyone would know who claimed that spot and back off.

Vanitas didn't get much of an explanation beyond the basics - courtesy of being an orphan - but if he remembered right the elders would hold a little speech before they were allowed to start working. Hopefully they'd keep it short. He'd need every minute to be done in time.

As he waited more and more mermen appeared and got settled, though they all kept a safe distance. It worked just fine for Vanitas. Without other nests around, his could stand out even more. And he'd rather have them wary of him instead of overly social and clingy like his little siblings.

Eventually the mers started gathering near the tallest rocks. Vanitas swam just close enough to seem to belong, ignoring the stares the others gave him. His eyes were trained on the summit where the elders were grouped. A trio of old mers, their fins grayed out and tattered by battles and long lives. One had a heavily crooked tail as well, the stiff arch going all the way up to his back. He was the only of the three that recognized Vanitas' skill and encouraged the tribe to include him. He was also a cunning bastard who couldn't be trusted with a weakness for torture, but he was as good a master as Vanitas could ever hope for. At least he was left alone in the times of peace.

At long last the merman in the middle - the one with the sharpest eyes and largest fins - swam a bit forward. "Welcome," he solemnly greeted, his voice booming through the valley. "I am glad to see so many of you here. For the tribe to prosper, every single of you…"

Already bored out Vanitas tuned him out, short of rolling his eyes and inspect whatever got caught in the webs of his hands instead. He'd always had… trouble… with his attention. The guardians would talk and talk and talk until, at some point, he zoned out. It was easier when the matter actually _interested_ him - Vanitas never had any issues when it came to learn things about the creatures of the sea or fighting. In fact the others rarely beat him in those topics. However the 'history of the tribe'? Or rituals heralding the change of seasons? His time would be put to better use taking a nap.

Or, in this case, into building his nest.

Eventually the old mer thrust his spear up into the air as he shouted, "We wish you luck finding your mate, but remember true success comes from hard work! May your heart be guiding your way!"

Applause and cheers came from Vanitas' peers, but all he spared for the speech was a lazy flick of his tail. Quickly he swam back to the spot he claimed and picked up the bundle left in its middle by the tribespeople who helped with the ceremony. Inside he found a simple knife carved from a rock, tools to sharpen and make more if it broke, as well as a few tails worth of threaded twine. They couldn't even use their spears; they were supposed to make one if they wanted to hunt food to add to their nest.

However that could wait.

Before doing anything else - Vanitas really just checked on the bundle to see if the codfish-tribesmen decided to cut his supplies short - he swam to the base of the Mating Rocks. As expected there were several rocks there, corroded and broken off from the mountainside. They had a nice dark color; they would work perfectly for what he had in mind.

He hovered above an interesting formation, sizing up the rocks. It would be difficult, but he might just be able to lift it.

Bending closer to the rock Vanitas ran his hands over it. The surface was rough, the edges sharp enough to sting the web between his fingers. Probably he was going to get cut, but the pain would be bearable. As long as he made sure the wounds didn't go too deep, he'd be alright.

Drawing in a breath Vanitas wrapped his arms around a narrow part of the oddly shaped rock, the surface scratching his scales, before he flicked his tail as strong as he could. The water whirled around him as he lifted the rock, teeth gritted from the tension, and while he his nest wasn't very far it still felt like it took Vanitas an eternity to take it there. He barely managed to keep it high enough to not drag it across the ground, but eventually he made it back and dropped the rock with a huff.

This was… more exhausting than expected.

Sinking to the ground, arms propped up on the curve of his tail, Vanitas tried to regain his breath. His muscles burned so much already; he might be able to move another two, maybe three rocks of the same size before he’d need a break. And then there was the problem with the layout of his nest. He actually aimed for _larger_ rocks to make his formation. If he had to go back to smaller rocks, he’d need to cant them so they stayed in shape or make some glue.

Ugh. So much for his time-management.

Sighing Vanitas rose from the ground, whirling up a bit of sand as he moved. He swam back to the mountain side and looked for other suitable rocks as he sensed a shift in the water. Sharply he turned around, claws extended out of instinct, however relaxed the moment he saw what had swum up to his side.

“Hello there!” greeted the sea turtle with the green shell. It even waved a fin at Vanitas and wore a huge grin on its face as it hovered closer to him. “My name’s Goofy. I’m your assigned observer.”

Vanitas narrowed his eyes at the turtle. “My _what_?”

“Your observer,” Goofy repeated, the smile still on his face. When Vanitas tilted his head in confusion, he moved one of his fins to his own chin. “Gwarsh… Master Yen Sid said he’d explain it in his speech, but maybe he forgot.” The smile had faltered from Goofy’s face as he, instead, tapped his chin in thought. “Well then. I think I remember the words well enough to repeat them.”

Vanitas rolled his eyes as he disregarded Goofy, his focus moving back to the rocks. He picked another fairly large one, huffing and puffing as he carried it over to his nest.

Goofy swam by his side as he explained, “To make sure you’re not cheatin’ every mer has an observer. If you’re not sure if you can use something, just ask and I’ll tell ya.”

Unceremoniously Vanitas dropped the rock near the first, his gills flaring at the exhaustion. “Whatever. Just don’t get in my way,” he spat as he turned and swam back to get more rocks.

“No problem!” Since Vanitas swam rather leisurely, Goofy managed to easily keep up with him. Not that Vanitas really cared; when he planned his nest he already marked down the materials in his head, knowing he’d have to gather them anew for it. But first he had to get the overall shape down with the rocks.

It took over half a day for him to gather enough rocks to be remotely satisfied. For the moment they all laid around his nest without much order, however since nobody else claimed a spot nearby he didn’t have to worry about the mess. As Vanitas arranged them to circle his nest Goofy kept chatting away, admiring how he managed to move them in the first place. The largest rocks were about half as large as Vanitas himself. He had practiced with larger ones during winter, but those had been lighter in color. Apparently the darker Mating Rocks were denser and heavier.

Once the last rock founds its place, Vanitas swam up and a bit away to check on the formation. The rocks encircled his nest to about two thirds, the open space facing the crack in the mountain toward the open sea. It still needed some adjustments, but those he could do later. First he had to look for another sort of rocks and gather some kelp to weave a net. His arms were already screaming, however he still had a few things to do before calling it a day.

Unfortunately Vanitas was already expected by the time he crossed over the Mating Rocks.

He sighed once he spotted a flash of green and he had half a mind to dash ahead. However Vanitas knew he’d need his forces and, by the end of the day, the annoying guppy would somehow catch up anyway. At least he was good at tuning out the noise of his voice.

“Hmpf. Yeah, right, just keep ignoring me,” the mer complained as he fell into swim with Vanitas.

“Sorry, but you can’t help him,” Goofy said as he swam above them.

The mer tilted his body enough to look up at him. “Oh I know. I just promised our siblings to keep an eye on him.” He waved his hand with a grin. “I’m Ventus, but everyone just calls me Ven.”

“ _Our_ siblings?” Vanitas seethed, “Last I checked, you got yourself a _family_.” He glared at Ventus through the corner of his eye, the fins on his head fanning out as his blood began to boil.

Ventus had the _nerve_ to sigh. “Just because Aqua and Terra invited me to live with them doesn’t mean I forgot you guys. And moving out meant enough space for Roxas and Xion to come to the cave, too.” He waved his tail a little stronger, enough to playfully nudge Vanitas’ with the current of the water. “You’re old enough to mate, so stop brooding like a youngling.”

“Shut the _fuck_ up, Ventus.” Vanitas bared his fangs as he hissed out the words, short of lashing out. Not like Ventus stood a chance against him, with his scrawny green tail and short fins. The only things keeping him from actually killing him were the fact their siblings would never forgive him if he harmed the idiot, and the tribe would cast him out and ban him from their lands.

“Oh, so you’re brothers? How come you’re not taking part in the season, Ven?” Goofy asked with a cheery voice. It sounded a little forced, obviously meant to change the topic.

Ventus shook his head. “I’m a bit of a late bloomer. I don’t feel mature enough for a mate yet.” He turned his body a little more as he swam and crossed his hands behind his head. “Maybe I’ll be ready by next season. Vanitas has always been a step ahead of me, so I’m not too surprised.” He waved his tail strongly again, but this time he moved up to swim by Goofy’s side. “Are you his observer?”

“Ayep. My name’s Goofy!”

Grinning Ventus swam a little closer, one hand covering his mouth as he whispered, “Vanitas can be demanding and kinda rude sometimes. Please forgive him.” He chuckled when Vanitas suddenly leaped upwards, enough for his flared dorsal fin to scratch across Ventus’ abdomen. “Just to be clear, outsiders can share food with the participants of the mating season, right?”

Goofy gave a nod. “Unless the food’s used to decorate the nest, they can accept it.”

The two fell into easy conversation then, their words blurring together in a general background noise as Vanitas swam on. Soon they reached a cliff made of brighter, smoother rocks which he examined before picking up one with a large, even side. Since it was rather light compared to the dark ones, he gathered a second one before he swam back to his nest. Ventus stopped at the edge of the Mating Rocks and waited until he came back for another round. By the time the sun started to set above the surface, Vanitas had collected enough rocks to cover the middle of his nest. He dug through the sand and mud so the flat side of the rocks faced upwards, creating a nice, mostly even foundation.

Deeming the work satisfactory, Vanitas rose up and admired his nest. Compared to what he saw from the others, his looked most impressive. While mers often preferred driftwood and plants as materials, he was the only one using such large rocks. Hopefully Naminé had already noticed and kept watching him work over the next few days.

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------

The sun was barely high enough to give some light when Vanitas returned to his nest. Goofy was already there waiting for him and they swam to a nearby forest of kelp plants, the strands swaying with the current. Vanitas cut a few down with his knife before they settled on a small hill covered in short seaweed. Expertly he cut away the leaves and threaded the twines into a tight knitted net while Goofy took the opportunity for an early lunch, munching away at the fresh algae as he watched Vanitas work.

It took a while, but in the end Vanitas had a nicely sized bag made of kelp. He even added a threat on the top, long enough to sling it over his head and one shoulder.

"Gwarsh, that's a neat thing you made there," Goofy commented as they swam through an empty space. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Carry stuff, obviously," Vanitas responded as he made a beeline for a cliff. The pit beneath went so far one couldn't even see the bottom… only everlasting darkness that swallowed every speck of light. No wonder the tribe named it 'Great Void'.

Fearlessly Vanitas dived down into the hole, Goofy struggling to stick by his side. He only needed to go deep enough to find certain crystals; they were essential to his plan. Completely ignoring Goofy's questions and pleas he went deeper and deeper, so deep he started to feel the pressure against his body, the weight of the water squeezing down so hard it turned harder to breathe. Only then Vanitas stopped and ran his hand across the rough rock of the cliffside, examining the surface with his fingers until he pricked his skin. Quickly he pulled out his knife and dug the tip into the wall, wiggling the blade until he heard a crack and the crystal he held with his other hand broke away.

When they were back in brighter waters, Goofy curiously swam closer. "That's one pretty black crystal." He tilted his head a little as he eyed the thing until Vanitas tucked it away in his bag.

He didn't comment on the crystal; he'd rather keep the spot to himself. After all, the chances to find another area so rich on bortz were extremely slim.

They swam through the tribe's territory for the better half of an hour before reaching the rich coral reef Vanitas was aiming for. They passed by several other spots, but he wanted the greatest variety and best quality for his nest. It was unlikely other mers would bother to cross such a distance and it paid off once he saw the blooming corals and colorful sponges. Life was thriving in the resourceful environment, too; countless little fish and nudibranchs were swimming and crawling about, though they quickly hid once Vanitas came too close.

That was alright - he didn't come for them yet anyway.

Leisurely Vanitas swam above the reef, eyes peeled for the anemones with the most vibrant colors. Some he could simply pick up, others were grabbing onto rocks so hard he had to break them off using the piece of bortz and a rock as a hammer. He was careful not to damage them as he did so and gently wrapped them into algae before putting them into his bag.

"I'm really impressed, Vanitas," Goofy marveled at some point. He kept swimming close by, though he moved gently so not to disturb the fish. "Seeing ya I'd have bet you're a fighter. But you handle the anemones so gentle… are you a farmer instead?"

Vanitas shot him a glare, but it faded at the earnest look Goofy wore. "I learned whatever seemed useful," he finally replied. The memories of his harsh past weren't something he was comfortable sharing - it was part of him, Vanitas knew, and certainly shaped who he was, but the times where they overshadowed his entire life were over.

… Maybe, one day he'd be able to share it with Naminé. Let her help carry the heavy weight on his shoulders.

But first he had to make her his mate.

A particularly nice, pink anemone caught his attention and Vanitas gingerly reached out to harvest it. But, as pretty as it was, its gently swaying tentacles stung _horribly_. Vanitas actually gasped and flinched back at the sharp pain, but his eyes had settled on the anemone and he was stubborn. With a bit of seaweed on his fingers and webs he grasped it and stuffed into his bag with a victorious snort.

"You did it!" Goofy suddenly cheered and, against his better judgment, Vanitas flared his fins in pride. While the turtle was, well, _goofy_ , he also believed his praise and compliments were honest and pure. It was rare for Vanitas to be admired like that, at least from strangers. To his siblings he was practically the king of the seven seas.

Boosted by the cheers Vanitas skillfully gathered more anemones and then moved to digging out and breaking off pieces of coral. He gathered mostly bushy ones or those who looked like fans in white, shades of orange, and red. He also picked up a brain coral or two in between. The soft corals were easy to tear off the reef, but the bony ones cut into his fingers more often than not. It didn’t sting as much as the attack from the anemones, but the wounds went deep enough to bleed. Vanitas had to constantly keep an eye out for predators attracted by it. At least his bag was filled enough to justify a return to his nest.

“I think I’ve got an idea what you want to do,” Goofy said as they swam back to the Mating Rocks. “I don’t remember anyone ever making a whole coral reef for their mate. I’m sure they’ll love it!”

Ever so slightly Vanitas smirked. “You think so?” he asked, almost a little bashful.

“Definitely!” Goofy had an encouraging smile on his face as he swam by his side. “After all, you put so much work into it. Some mers just stick some driftwood into a pile of sand and call it a day. Master Yen Sid thinks their lack of finesse is the reason we aren’t blessed with many little ones in the first place.”

At that Vanitas cackled. He did remember his guardians said that, if properly swayed by the nest and the wooing, mers became more fertile. And wasn’t there even some kind of workshop for younglings where they could practice nest-building?

The mere thought was _hilarious_.

As they swam across the valley, Vanitas allowed himself a peek at some of the nests. He mostly saw driftwood and shells in some kind of arrangement, though one sorry mer was _only_ using sand for his. His long, silver-gray tail moved carefully as he hovered above his nest, making patterns in the ground with only his fingers. Swirls and lines and waves, some of them crooked, and Vanitas hardly suppressed his laugh when he saw him frown and erase whatever he had been drawing up to start over. As if any mate would be attracted by something like _that_ anyway.

What an idiot. Vanitas almost felt pity for him.

Once he was back at his nest, Vanitas carefully unwrapped his corals and anemones and started arranging them on the stones he gathered the previous day. Goofy rested on top of an empty ledge as he watched him work.

Vanitas took his time, diligently thinking over where each piece came out the best. He’d still need to gather more to fill in the gaps - he wanted his artificial reef to look massive - but it would just look chaotic if he simply dumped everything on the rocks. For Naminé to be truly impressed, it had to be _perfect_. Even if it meant getting stung by anemones he held for too long in his hands as he looked for the best spot for them.

“Do you have someone in mind already?” Goofy asked at some point, “Since your nest is so special.”

Though Vanitas didn’t care much for conversation, he found himself replying, “Yes.” He lifted a large coral with a delicate fan which he draped on top of the highest rock, the long arms with the countless veins in between arching above the nest like a cover. “She’s an artist. Figured she’d like colors.” One of the brain corals he nestled between two rocks, masking up the slight defect in the almost perfectly round shape. He rested his hand on the rock next to it as he whispered, “There’s nobody else for me but her. So I have to make sure she thinks I’m worthy.”

For a long moment Goofy considered the words before he answered. “I’m sure you’ll find your perfect mate, Vanitas. One whose as devoted to you as you are to them.”

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------

Vanitas managed another two trips to the coral reef that day, although he ended up carrying Goofy on the last one. For a turtle the distance he swam was quite an ordeal, but wandering around without his observer was a risk Vanitas wasn’t willing to take. All the work would be for nothing if the elders excluded him because he might have used forbidden things or had help, and he knew the mers guarding the Mating Rocks as well as his competitors wanted nothing more but to see him fail.

Since the reef was impressing enough, Vanitas adjusted the net of his bag first thing on the dawn of the third day. He patched up the holes and added a thread on the top so he could quickly pull it closed, then swam back to the natural coral reef with Goofy. As they went Vanitas broke his plan to him, making sure he stayed as far as possible away while still keeping Vanitas in sight once they arrived, and then he began the most annoying part of the building:

Catching fish and nudibranchs for his nest.

The nudibranchs were rather easy to get. They were snails, after all, so they could move only so fast. He mostly collected dorid nudis, in particular a species with whitish-blue skin and a thick, black ring on their bodies and yellow tails and antennas. He also caught some with short, fat white bodies and red dots, sure Naminé would find them cute and funny. There were even some dexiarchia nudibranchs with blue and yellow spikes covering their entire backs. They all landed in his bag, though Vanitas made sure to toss in a few small anemones as well and kept a close eye on the size. All his gathering would be for nothing if most of the anemones in his nest ended up eaten by the nudis.

When he gathered about two dozen of them, Vanitas laid out a layer of seaweed in his bag to make another pocket. Then the real hassle started…

The colorful fish were swift to hide and disappear when he appeared, so Vanitas had to patiently hover by a spot until they cautiously returned. And since they were small and delicate, he had to be careful when he closed his hands around them, too, but he had been practicing a week or so ago.

The first few attempts he missed his target or was too slow, but eventually he caught something. Yellow tangs, moorish idols, a few butterflyfish, and even two regal tangs found their way in his bag. Getting common clownfish was painful for his fingers, however their vibrant orange color was worth it. There were also a few royal grammas he captured; while their yellow was nowhere that of the tangs, the purple on their bodies was something else.

Attentive as he was, Vanitas also spotted a pair of seahorses. He was careful when he took those, even plucked off the plant they had curled their tails around rather than directly touching them.

When all the fish were safely put in the bag, Vanitas knotted up the opening extra-tight before rising. He took his time breaking off a few rocks with Christmas-tree-worms attached and collected a few clams that had brightly colored insides. Just a few he could carry back in his arms.

Goofy clapped his font-fins when he approached and easily swam by his side as they made it back. Since Vanitas had rather delicate cargo, he swam slow compared to usual, mindful of the stress the fish were having. When he was too harsh during practice, some of them even died from it.

“Gwarsh, I thought your nest looked like a reef as it was, but you’re even getting animals for it!” Goofy cocked his head as he eyed the stuffy bag. “What are you going to do with them after the season though? Will ya release them?”

Vanitas shrugged his shoulders, eyes trained on the armful of rocks and clams he carried. Some of the worms had emerged from their hiding holes and swayed in the stream, though they flinched back inside when he nudged them.

“Depends on my mate,” he eventually replied. “I don’t mind making the world her oyster. If Naminé wants me to set them free or make another, permanent reef near our home, I’ll do it.”

Suddenly Goofy chuckled, brightly enough for Vanitas to narrow his eyes at him in suspicion. “What?!” he demanded, ready to defend his devotion and plan to the most.

Goofy stifled his chuckle and looked back with a glint in his eye. “You said her name,” he teased with a grin - and instantly Vanitas felt his cheeks heat up.

Damn it!

“I think I might know her actually. Golden fins, rather petite built… A gifted artist?” Goofy listed.

 _Damn it_! That was even _worse_!

Vanitas pressed his lips together as he willed his blush away. So what if Goofy knew Naminé? He’d just ignore him again if he decided to tease him about his choice. He was pretty good at tuning out whatever annoyed him.

"Although," Goofy murmured, "When I think about it, isn't she always together with that silver merman? Niriku? I thought they were a couple alrea-"

Vanitas whirled around on the spot and leaned toward Goofy, so much their faces almost touched. "What do you mean, _couple_?" he bellowed with narrowed eyes.

Goofy shrugged his shoulders the best he could, only a little fazed by Vanitas' rough demand. "I often saw them together. They're childhood friends from what I know."

Squinting his eyes Vanitas tried to remember. When he thought about it… there _was_ some other mer constantly swimming nearby. A youngling with silver scales and teal eyes. He was always a little bigger than them, thanks to their difference in age, and if he wasn't completely mistaken the same mer was also close friends with Sora. Though, from what he recalled, Sora always called the guy 'Riku', not 'Niriku'. Maybe some kind of nickname?

Anyway. If he was trying to woo Naminé, he was an enemy in Vanitas' book. Even if they were friends for a while, by the end of the week, Naminé would be curling up with him in _his_ nest.

Huffing strong enough to make bubbles, Vanitas swished his tail and swam off. Having a rival only spurred him on. No matter what that Niriku-codfish did, he'd stand no chance to his beautiful coral reef and ardent wooing.

As he finally undid the knot on his bag, directly by the reef he made on his nest, and all the colorful fish streamed out and immediately hid between the rocks, corals, and anemones, Vanitas was certain:

He'd win Naminé over, no matter what.

\----------------------------------------------------

Despite his confidence, Vanitas found his thoughts wandering off to his rival for the rest of the day. He was so distracted he got stung by anemones a lot more when he went gathering and he sliced open his palm at a particularly sharp piece of coral, too. Thankfully his body was quick to heal, but the pain was still pretty annoying. At least he had half-a-mind to get some plants as well, mostly meant as food for his reef. Though the Mating Rocks were quite high, the sun was still too far away to properly boost the growth of plankton inside the valley. Plus the nudibranchs needed appropriately sized alternatives; Vanitas was too busy to replace anemones they randomly munched on.

The morning of the fourth day was spent collecting bags full of moss. Vanitas had once discovered it made quite a comfortable seat, though it wasn't as soft as the bedding of the clams they all had at home. He even went through the trouble of knitting another net he changed into a bag, cutting down the times he had to swim off to gather considerably. He also stopped by Great Void with the bortz-crystals again and collected a few small pieces. He wanted to shape them into tips for pens Naminé could use for her carved drawings later.

Before he swam back to the nest for good, he also cut some twines of kelp. With all materials ready, he would be able to spent most of the next days by the nest - forcing the fish and nudis to get used to him enough to swim around despite his presence.

Goofy was his steady companion, following like a shadow. All the swimming had tired him so much he ended up napping whenever they were by the nest. Vanitas had even piled up a bit of sand he could settle on. His favorite spot on the reef had been taken by a huge brain coral and a few sun corals. At least he was silent for the time being.

Unfortunately… the moment of peace was short-lived anyway.

Vanitas was in the middle of spreading the moss in his nest, making sure the soft and prettier side was facing up, when a shout of his name reached his ears. Instantly he recognized the voice, though strained with panic, and with a powerful kick he rose several tails-long up.

Not a heartbeat later a shadow slammed against his chest, panting and sobbing and so agitated it could barely breathe.

Grasping the small shoulders securely, Vanitas pushed the youngling an arms length away. "Easy now. What's the matter, Xion?" he calmly asked, though his heart was beating away in his chest.

Xion, an orphan mermaid with dark scales he considered a sister, wasn't that easy to startle. She could get into fights with older younglings and still come out as the winner; a few smaller scars were silent proof of her skills. For her to actually break out into tears and scream out his name… something truly awful had to have happened.

Ventus knew that, too - in a few moments he swam up to them, one hand rubbing soothingly over Xion's back.

"V-Van-Van," she gasped. The sticky, viscous tears were gathering on her eyes and she furiously rubbed them away. "R-Roxas and Sora… they… they're…!"

"Open your gills, little one. Deep sucks," Vanitas gently urged. "What's with them?"

Following the example, Xion finally managed to calm down enough to talk in full sentences. "We went hunting for tuna… Near Green Abyss…"

Subconsciously Vanitas flared his fins.

"O-on our way back… Some sharks… They were suddenly _there_ …!" New tears gathered in her eyes and she sniffled, her hands desperately scratching on Vanitas’ arms. Still he pushed her away, almost shoving her against Ventus instead.

“I’m going,” Vanitas announced with a hiss.

Instantly Ventus shook his head. “Who knows how many there are! I’ll get Aqua and Terra, then-”

“Do what the fuck you want!” Vanitas growled, his fins stretching out to full display as the stress took its toll on his body. He needed to act, quickly, if he wanted to save them. Green Abyss was shark territory and while his siblings knew it was off-limits, something _had_ to have attracted the predators. If he waited for help, Roxas and Sora might be torn to pieces before they arrived.

Vanitas was ready to bolt as he heard Goofy call, “Hey, what’s the matter?” For a moment he glanced back over his shoulder, saw his nest - thought of Naminé for a heartbeat.

But the decision was an easy one to make:

In a quick swipe Vanitas circled back, grabbed Goofy, and shot through the water so fast his fins pressed against his body. The stream hitting his face as near-blinding, yet Vanitas kept waving his tail as he rushed to the cave he shared with his siblings.

As he arrived he let go of Goofy, leaving him to twirl on the spot with the leftover momentum. Even as he steadied his head with his front-fins his eyes kept spinning around and he had to shake his head to rid of his dizziness.

Just as Vanitas reappeared with his trusty spear, Void Gear, he managed to ask, “What’s happened?”

Vanitas was quickly tying Void Gear to his back as he hissed, “Shark attack. Can’t lose any time.” Once his weapon was secured he grabbed Goofy again and, though the explanation was rather scanty, the look on his face spoke of understanding. He retracted into his shell as much as possible as Vanitas clutched him under his arm and bolted off again, swimming as fast as he could. Green Abyss was pretty far away, but he could make it in only a few minutes if he give it his all. The worry about his brothers made it easier to bear the agonizing burn of his muscles and the adrenaline took care of the rest; Vanitas was letting his instincts take over, readying him for the impending fight.

He smelled the blood before he spotted them, adjusting his route ever so slightly as he glided through the water with deadly precision and crazy speed. Swimming against the stream last winter did wonders to his body, though Vanitas was too preoccupied to properly acknowledge it.

The moment he finally spotted Sora and Roxas, circled by sharks and bleeding, he literally saw red.

Roaring ferociously Vanitas dropped Goofy mid-swim and instead pulled at Void Gear, piercing a shark that was closing in on Roxas. He knocked two other over with a swing of his tail, stunning them enough to turn away, and he flared his gills and fins as he jerked his spear back. The impaled shark sunk down, instantly dead, but Vanitas ignored it and instead went after the other. The group still circled around them, though a little scattered because of his first attack, and Vanitas had to push two back which tried to get on their backs. He heard Goofy shout something, but it was somewhat distant as he focused solely on the predators.

Somehow though, Vanitas enjoyed the situation. He was a fighter first and foremost - with Void Gear in his hand and his senses so highlighted it hurt, knowing a single mistake would cost him his life, he truly felt like himself. Every little jerk of his muscles was calculated as he faced the sharks, every thrust with his spear hit perfectly. Vanitas heard his own heartbeat in his ears as he hissed and clicked, his fins dark crimson with how much blood his body pumped into them. They fanned around him like pedals of a deadly flower, ready to pull back and roll in when he lunged forward and sliced through the belly of a shark with the claws of his free hand.

After a final, threatening howl from him the group finally bailed, swimming for their lives.

Vanitas stood there a moment longer, fins and gills fanned out to the max and gently swaying, before he allowed his body to relax. He had wounded several of the sharks, but only killed two. While he enjoyed the fight and lost himself in bloodlust, mindless killing wasn’t really his style. At least one of the sharks would end up with the orphanage and serve to feed homeless little ones.

As the exhaustion finally caught up with him, Vanitas grunted in pain and spread his gills, drawing in gushes of water as he panted. He was aching, shoulders slumped as his fingers struggled to keep Void Gear in his hand. However he wasn’t done yet.

Turning on the spot, he finally found the time to regard his brothers. Goofy had urged them to pull back from the fight - they currently sat on a sandbank, red still rising from them as well as the decently sized tuna they had with them. Roxas spear had broken in half and Sora’s had lost the sharp tip of his, probably from them fighting the sharks until he arrived or their hunt.

Growling low in his chest Vanitas swam to the bottom and picked up the two sharks he killed before he made his way over to them.

Roxas was looking at the ground, the fins of his tail twitching, likely from pain he tried to hide. He had a large bite on the lower half of his tail, the flesh torn open and even a shark-tooth poking out between all the crimson.

Sora, on the other hand, was staring at him with big eyes and a slightly opened mouth. He held his spear limply in his hands, his entire attention on Vanitas as he approached. His arm had a nasty gash and a shark bit into his shoulder, but his wound wasn’t as deep as the one Roxas had on his tail.

Once he was close enough, Vanitas glared intently at them - before he headbutted each hard enough for them to clutch their heads. “Jellybrains!” he yelled, the fins of his head flaring, “How many times did I tell you?! Once you kill a fish you have to _instantly_ debowel it! That’s why those fucking sharks came after you in the first place!”

“Sorry,” the two replied in tandem, gingerly touching the bumps forming on the top of their heads.

Vanitas crossed his arms before his chest, still staring daggers at the younglings. “What have you been thinking anyway? There’s plenty of food back home,” he hissed as he took Roxas snapped spear and started undoing the cord that held the sharpened stone on its tip. Once it was off he tied it tightly around Roxas’ tail instead, shortly above the bite-mark to stop the bleeding. He had lost quite a bit already, but Vanitas was sure he’d survive. A few days of rest and he’d be swimming around like usual.

He flinched once Goofy appeared by his side, a few strands of seaweed in his mouth. “Thanks,” Vanitas replied as he took them. Most was used to wrap up Roxas’ wound and the gash on Sora’s arm; it was enough of a bandage until they got home. He huffed however as he noticed Sora carefully debowelling the tuna and the two sharks before he pierced them with his spear.

Goofy took the opportunity to chuckle knowingly, with so much glee Vanitas glared at him, but he was honestly too tired to put up with the cheeky turtle. It didn’t help they were long since done either.

“Let’s head home,” he decided with a huff. Void Gear was tied to his back once more as he picked up Roxas. If he used his tail the wound was going to start bleeding again, so it was smarter to just carry him instead. Not that it was difficult - Roxas was still good two heads smaller than Vanitas, a scrawny youngling that had yet to grow out of his babyfins. Sora, on the other hand, was only a year away from mating himself, but still had the mindset of a kid. Vanitas would think twice before he left him in charge _again_.

They were half-way back when Sora finally broke the heavy silence between them.

“We wanted to make you tuna salad,” he whispered, so lowly it was nearly lost. “You said it’s the best for strong colors of the fins, so-”

“Shut. Up,” Vanitas cut him off, voice as chilly as ice. It made Sora snap his mouth shut and Roxas curl a little further into himself, but it did little to tamper his anger. It burned on like a cold flame, steady and bright, and even Goofy noticed the sudden change in the air enough to remain quiet.

When they reached the cave, Xion and Ventus were already waiting. She instantly swam up to them and dragged them all in a hug, ignoring the fact she was way too small to properly wrap her arms around them. In fact, she was even a little smaller than Roxas though they were the same age.

“Thank goodness you’re all okay,” Ventus sighed, heavy enough for his shoulders to drop. “I asked Terra and Aqua to go after you. Have you seen them?”

Vanitas glare was enough of an answer.

This time though, Ventus mirrored his glare with one of his own. “I was _worried_. Hate me all you want, but we’re still family, and as such I’ll _always_ try to help the best way possible.”

“Whatever.” Vanitas averted his eyes, too tired to break off a fight with Ventus. “Care to get the kit?” he asked instead and, after a huff, Ventus nodded and disappeared in the cave. In the meantime Vanitas dropped Roxas off on one of the rocks in their yard, motioning Sora and Xion to sit as well. Only then he turned his head back and regarded Goofy. “I’ll be back at the nest in a bit,” he said, though his eyes held a question instead - ‘ _Can you give us some privacy?’_

Thankfully Goofy understood and with a nod he swam back toward the Mating Rocks.

Ventus was quick to return with the bag carrying several medical supplies. He started working on the nasty bite on Roxas’ tail, Xion gingerly assisting him, while Vanitas patched up the gash on Sora’s arm. Since he used to be the one getting hurt in the past and Ventus usually ended up helping him, he was more skilled in the field. Vanitas could handle scratched and clear cuts - Ventus could aid so even the most torn wound to heal with only minimal scars.

“This’ll sting, but it’ll make you numb,” Ventus warned as he carefully put a few cut arms of jellyfish around Roxas’ wound. The poor thing yelped as they made contact with his skin, the pain even seeping through his scales, however soon his breathing evened out again.

While Ventus chatted every so often, Vanitas remained eerily silent. His eyes were narrowed as he dressed Sora's wound, but his hands were gentle as he smeared healing paste over the gash before fixing it with a layer of snail-slime and an algae band-aid. He did the same to the bite-marks across his shoulder, though he had to plug out a few scales first.

Sora fidgeted more the longer the silence stretched on, and eventually he burst out, "It was my idea!"

It came so sudden Vanitas jerked his hands back, but still the only thing he did was frown.

"I said we should go hunting," Sora explained, his big blue eyes locked with Vanitas'. "Roxas and Xion just came along because I convinced them. So, I'm the only one you should be angry with."

The words had barely left Sora's mouth when Xion straightened with a kick of her tail. "That's not true! We all agreed to do it!" she claimed with a flare of her fins. They were still small compared to Vanitas' and Ventus', but she already had the instinct to use them to make herself bigger and more imposing.

"Xion-" Sora began, however Roxas cut him off roughly.

"We knew you wouldn't approve, but we still wanted to help," he calmly explained. "You always do things for us, too. It was time we give something back."

Roxas moved to get up from the rock, but Ventus forced him down with his hands on his shoulders. "Don't be silly," he said, "You're our little siblings. What Vanitas and I do for you doesn't happen because we expect something in return!" He cocked his head, a warm smile curling over his lips.

"But you're still angry, right…?" Shyly Xion looked Vanitas in the eyes and bit her lower lip. "We're sorry. We really are!"

Sora hung his head low, his eyes pressing shut. "It's all my fault. I'm the oldest and disappointed you. If… if it helps, you can hit me," he offered in a breath.

"Sora… As if-" Ventus began, but cut himself off when Vanitas fixed him with a glare. He had swum a bit back, enough to face all three of them, and his arms had crossed before his chest at some point.

"I _am_ pretty damn pissed," he said, voice strained to sound calm. Sora, Xion, and even Roxas flinched at his words and curled into themselves, squirming under Vanitas' stern glare.

"I'm pissed you jellybrains got in so much danger just because of a perfectly avoidable mistake."

The three perked up at the reveal and even Ventus frowned in confusion.

Completely unfazed Vanitas swayed his tail to hover in place as he explained, "I thought we've been on enough hunts for you to have the basics down. And yet you got yourself hurt and _very_ nearly killed." His gills flared as he grunted deep in his throat. "Hunts are dangerous as they are. You get hurt. You get in danger. Maybe you die - even _without_ leaving a fresh bloodtrail near shark territory." He untangled one of his arms and pointed an angry finger at the three. "Once mating season is over, I'm dragging your useless tails out into the wild for a week. I'll fucking _beat_ the survival skills into your thick heads if I have to. You're _not_ allowed to die before me, got it?"

For a moment Sora, Xion, and Roxas exchanged looks - then they threw themselves on Vanitas, wrapping him into a tangle of arms and fins. Huffing Vanitas gave their heads an affectionate ruffle, pointedly ignoring the noises of delight Ventus made in the back. The way his siblings hugged him calmed some of his anger; they seemed to have learned a lesson, though he hated to see Sora and Roxas hurt and Xion so scared she cried.

Vanitas squeezed them tight one last time before finally pushing off. "Enough," he said, "You had enough action for the day and I have stuff to do." He glanced over at Ventus, ignoring Sora's and Xion's whines. Roxas was disappointed, too, but he only showed it through a tiny pout.

"I'll spend the night here," Ventus replies to Vanitas' silent question. "And tomorrow we're gonna share the meat with the orphanage, right, guys?" He swam up to their side and slung one arm around Roxas while he grinned at the other two. Ventus had always been most attached to Roxas; they looked so much alike they could be twins if it wasn't for the age-gap. Of course he adored Sora and Xion, too, even Vanitas, but the stoic little blond still had a special spot in his heart.

Vanitas simply rolled his eyes and swam inside the cave, leaving Void Gear just behind the entrance. Usually he'd take care of his spear right after the fight, but he still had piles of moss to spread and tools to carve. Probably he'd end up working most of the night to catch up.

Annoyed Vanitas blew out a few bubbles, reminding himself that dead siblings were _definitely_ worse than missing some sleep.

However once he came back out and readied to swim off, Sora's excited 'Riku!' drew his attention - and immediately his mood turned for the worse.

Just up ahead he saw familiar silver scales and white fins close in, but Vanitas stopped the merman before he glided by. His red eyes locked with cool teal ones as he leaned in, enough for his teeth to glint from beneath his lips, sharp and deadly.

To be honest, Vanitas didn't know why he decided to confront his potential rival head-on. Maybe he needed to blow off some steam, let out some of the burning rage he kept so carefully to himself rather than direct it on his siblings. However once his webbed, clawed hands dug into the - admittedly strong and broad - shoulder and those teal eyes looked back with interest and mild confusion, he couldn't stop himself any more.

"I don't care if you have a history," he snarled, so low it stayed between them, "Naminé _will_ be mine."

With that Vanitas let go, adding a little shove, and bolted off in a display of speed and strength while his heart beat away in his chest.

That had been the first time he declared war so openly.

It was… _exciting_. Part of Vanitas even hoped the silver mer would make a move of his own now, a response to his blatant challenge.

He was ready to fight for his mate, no matter the odds.

\----------------------------------------------------

A strange tickle on his temple made Vanitas squirm with a grunt. Absently, eyes still closed for a moment longer of sleep, he reached up and tried to swat whatever was annoying him away.

Oddly enough, his fingers came back _slimy_.

Grunting a little louder he dabbed his fingers together and gingerly stretched his tail. His entire body _hurt_ , a dull ache that spoke of intense muscle-soreness, and his back and neck felt stiff, as if he'd laid weirdly inside his clam.

However once Vanitas fanned out his fins and felt the rough surface of corals and the sting of anemones on the outer layer, he snapped his eyes open and jolted upright.

 _Fuck_. He'd fallen asleep!

The nudibranch crawling over his face tumbled down at his sudden movement, slowly sinking to the bed of moss before wiggling pitifully on its back. The pillow of kelp Vanitas had been working on was mushed and only half covered in moss, the outline of his body still obvious on the soft material.

Vaguely Vanitas remembered the events of the last evening - he’d swum like a maniac to Green Abyss to bust his siblings out. Once they were back home and safe, he returned to his nest and chatted with Goofy until after sunset, carefully laying out the moss and forming two bumps with kelp Naminé and he could lean against later. Eventually Goofy grew so tired he dozed off on the side that was already done, but Vanitas wanted to get at least the pillows finished before he called it a night.

He remembered deftly shaping the bumps, covering them up with moss, testing if they were comfortable enough…

That must have been when sleep finally claimed him.

From the lightness of the area, Vanitas hadn’t lost too much time yet, but it still threw him back a bit. He wanted to be done with the grounding so the moss could grow a little together and spend the rest of the day making the tools for Naminé. Shaping the tip would be difficult, especially since he had to use other pieces of bortz to even break the crystals, and he wanted to craft a nicely detailed pen to hold it, too. Besides, he had to eventually start grooming his scales as well, not to mention his large fins.

Swearing lowly to himself Vanitas resumed his work on the pillows, resisting their call for the time being. He'd maybe score a nap in the late afternoon if he did a quick job on the nest. At least he had gathered large patches; soon enough most of the bottom was covered and Vanitas had only to fill out the narrow gaps in between. The bumps ended up a bit smaller than he planned, but it still worked out just fine. In fact, Vanitas found it even more comfortable that way.

Goofy idly drifted around most of the time, watching the fish and nudis in the reef or Vanitas work. He only spoke up to wake Vanitas from his nap, then went back to his silent observing. Vanitas welcomed it for the most part; crafting with bortz required his entire attention and still the likeliness of breaking the crystal just as he wanted it to was rather low. Good thing he picked up enough material for several attempts - and took a quick nap to calm down.

At the thirteenth try - and moments before a violent outburst - Vanitas finally held the perfect piece in his hands. Next he focused on forming a nice pen out of a bleached piece of coral. It had broken off while Vanitas arranged them and he figured the color would suit Naminé. Carefully he scrapped the rough surface off and carved a few simple swirls into it, as well as a small cleft on the end. He stuck the shaped bortz into it and fixed it with a few of his own scales, sealing it off with a bit of slime from the nudibranchs. By next morning the glue would be hard enough for the last touch-up.

As evening approached, Vanitas took one last look at his nest before running final errands. A few more nudis and enough morish idols for a school, a few patches of moss, and two of the flattest, largest, and darkest pieces of driftwood he could find. Goofy, his steady companion, commented on the melody he hummed every now and then, a song Vanitas had practiced throughout winter. It was inspired by the songs of their forefathers, a melody meant to call out to their mates and make their intentions clear. Vanitas had tweaked it a bit, giving it a personal touch. It ended up darker than the original - mostly since he simply couldn't hit the higher notes well. Singing had never been his forte and while other younglings gathered in a chorus he was usually off trying to catch small fish with his hands.

However as confident as Vanitas felt… he still tossed and turned around in his clam all night. Even though his body could need the rest, his mind refused to shut up. Doubts bubbled up from deep within his mind, paired with mocking cackle, a screeching voice that mocked him over and over again.

Vanitas failed to make it shut up, but at least he managed to ignore it.

By sunrise he made his way to his nest, the fish swimming peacefully around even as he approached. Just to be perfectly safe he took Goofy along as he swam to the fine sandbank just outside of the village. Vanitas had long since discovered the bank had spots with rougher sand as well and he took advantage of the structure to polish both, his pen and himself, until the coral and his scales were smooth to the touch. Sometimes he saw some mermaids do the same, roll around in the wet sand like eels, and though they had been appalled when Vanitas first appeared by now they merely ended up giggling whenever he caught their eye. He'd respond with a cocky sneer, and that was that.

The fins were more work. Using a sponge Vanitas rubbed whatever grime had gathered in the cracks, hovering in a spot where the ocean stream was strong enough to wash away bits of sand from the flaps of his fins and hair.

As a male, Vanitas wasn't expected to put all too much work into his appearance, however he wanted to groom himself to the best to further impress Naminé. She had the eye of an artist - if he looked the part, he'd only further prove his dedication to win her over.

In a small part of his heart, he hoped the first thing she carved with the new pen would be an image of himself.

Tradition had them all gather at the Mating Rocks at noon, when the sun reached its peak. Vanitas had been early, craving a bit of solitude before everything started. As his observer, Goofy was meant to drop him off by his nest and then take his place on the sidelines, making sure no mer approached him until the ritual would begin. And to tell the truth, he definitely got a handful to do considering Ventus brought all their siblings over to watch, as well as his two friends with their own little ones. After all, Vanitas was very inclined to mate with Naminé for life; he'd never hear the end of it if he dared having a matrimony without his family.

As he sat on the soft moss, the little voice came back to whisper in his ear - warned him from diving head-first into the disaster it would be. Sowed doubts about the reasons as to why Naminé, beautiful, gentle Naminé, would even entertain to mate with a beast such as him.

However before Vanitas' resistance faltered, the sun finally reached the peak of its arch - and with the loud rumble from the shellhorns, he drew in a deep breath, rose from his seat with a kick of his tail, and started singing.

For a while, Vanitas sang so low he was barely heard through all the noise. He couldn't help but notice how the other mers sounded - their notes on point and voices melodic. Compared to them he was merely crowing, too rough and sharp to sound truly pleasant.

But then he finally spotted Naminé, swimming toward the group. Her fins sparkled in the afternoon sun, her scales shimmering in shades of gold as she moved. Her hair was tied by a fine cord and decorated with pearls, forcing her long locks to shift over her right shoulder. Big blue eyes looked around in search, maybe even gauging her chances with the mermen singing and wooing all around her. In her petite hands she held the fruit of a palm - a starfish shaped Paopu. It grew above the surface and, once ripe, the fruits fell into the water and were carried out by the tide. They commonly shared them during mating season; the strange fruit was said to rise fertility.

Vanitas' heart beat faster at the thought of sharing one. Even if it tasted awful, he'd gladly force down mouthfuls of it if Naminé so much as asked him to.

Freshly motivated Vanitas increased his volume and sang, putting everything he had into his voice. He poured his most sincere feelings into the melody, even spread out his arms to breathe in deeper and push it all out as loudly as he could.

When Naminé's eyes locked with his, her face a mix of confusion and surprise, Vanitas increased his singing even more, so much his throat and chest and heart hurt. He gave her everything he had and then some, laying his soul bare and presented it for his mate to take.

When Naminé swam up to him, Vanitas had his heart in his throat. He tried to swallow it back down, his singing stopped, and a tender, content smile curled over his lips from shier relief.

But then her expression shifted. The surprise faded from her features - and were replaced by a sad, slightly forced smile.

Instantly Vanitas' heart sank.

"Thank you," Naminé replied. Her head tilted as she checked on the nest below, her mouth opened slightly in awe while she clutched her Paopu close. "I'm flattered by your efforts. I really am! But…"

Vanitas' hands clenched into fists to keep himself from reaching out. He had a close guess of what was to come, could already feel the cold grasp of reject in his chest, squeezing down so hard it _hurt_.

Despite it all, he hovered slightly closer to Naminé. "What do you need me to do?" he openly asked. "Name it. Name it and it's done. Just…"

_Please…!_

Naminé's smile was sad and haunted, but still somewhat brave. "You've done enough," she lowly replied. By then a few mers had stopped to watch their exchange, though nobody dared swimming closer. "The nest you made is beautiful. And I'm grateful you shared your feelings with me. Yet…"

For a moment Naminé looked away. When Vanitas glanced in the same direction, he saw a certain silver mer was closely observing their exchange, his expression a twisted grimace of hope and pain.

"My heart craves someone else. Your feelings… they wouldn't be returned. It's not fair to you," Naminé finished with a sigh.

Though his insides screamed for air, Vanitas couldn't bring himself to suck in water. His heart throbbed painfully, oh so painfully, and if that wasn't enough his mind was slowly starting to pick up. Bit by bit he became aware of their audience and the rejection he faced even as he exposed himself all the way to the soul.

In vain. It had all been in vain.

"I'm sorry, Vanitas."

Naminé's voice barely cut through the noise in his ears - barely made it over the gasps and chuckles and giggles from the mers around who basked in Vanitas' pain.

"I hope you'll find someone who can return your feelings the way you deserve."

And then she turned away and swam to Niriku - to the merman who spent the entire week merely carving lines in the sand, things that maybe looked like two younglings swimming side by side.

Eventually murmurs reached Vanitas' ears and he gasped in a breath. Blinking rapidly he cleared his sight, turned his head this way and that - saw the mocking sneers of guards and peers alike, some of them talking behind their hands, eyes fixed on him. A few even went as far as laughing openly in his face, delighted and amused about his failure.

Suddenly Vanitas was a youngling again, alone and weak and vulnerable.

As the first tears pricked behind his eyes, he was already swimming away as fast as he could.

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------

  
  


It was hard telling how much time passed in the depths of Great Void. No light reached the deeper levels, coating the entire world into darkness. The pressure increased the lower one sank, up to the point it was noticeable on ones body - the weight of the ocean squeezing down so hard it was hard to breathe. Creatures living in that realm were horrid to look at, twisted abominations straight from nightmares, sometimes with see-through skin or with bright lures they used to attract their prey.

Vanitas however wasn't scared of the dark or its monsters. In fact, when he felt overwhelmed and ready to burst, the darkness soothed his raging mind and the pressure held him together. Nobody ever found him there either, in that black, bottomless pit, and he felt so calm and at home there he wondered if that was maybe where he came from in the first place.

With only darkness as his companion… Vanitas could finally work through his issues, even as they brought fresh, sticky tears to his eyes.

What had he been thinking? As if Naminé was all that different from the rest. He was an outcast, a catfish, a viscous monster to outsiders and tribespeople alike. The offspring from an egg his parents abandoned and neglected, left back to be devoured by large fish. And the pathetic little nest he made was supposed to convince her otherwise?

He'd been a fool. A pitiable, helpless jellybrain that thought he could define his own future. But the mating ritual had turned out like everything else in his life.

Despite struggle and labor and pain, what Vanitas truly desired never became his. Naminé had been the first he ever approached on his own, the first bond he wanted to forge without years of built-up. The first he wanted to have as family.

Not that he didn't consider his siblings family. Sora, Roxas, Xion, and even Ventus - they were close even without the strength of blood. But they just somewhat happened to tangle their lives together. With Naminé it was so very different, and not only because of his romantic interest. Vanitas wanted to win her over with a carefully crafted impression of himself, with a nest he put so much thought into and wanted to bring his intentions across with.

However none of that mattered anymore - and Vanitas was left picking up the shattered pieces of his heart after the ultimate rejection.

Hours must have passed before Vanitas rubbed the tears off his face and swam back up. Even if he wanted nothing more than disappear, he had a bunch of siblings to take care of. With the mers busy mating, he welcomed an escape into the wild, away from everyone else. Maybe he'd even take each of them to a separate trip, putting a few weeks between him and his forced return.

Once the light returned, Vanitas realized it was almost time for dawn. Naminé, and likely every other partaker of the ritual, were probably still curled up together in their homes, arms and tails a tangled mess. Since his cave was crowded and he didn't know about her place, Vanitas had planned to spend the night in the cozy nest he made.

Now… he just wanted it gone. Shattered to pieces, just like his heart.

Subconsciously Vanitas glided through the water towards the Mating Rocks, the way burned into his muscles from how often he crossed it over the last few days. But while he felt excited and almost giddy before, now he only experienced fury and humiliation when he swam passed the familiar places.

His fingers twitched uncontrollably with the urge to break something.

Vanitas ignored the surrounding nests and zeroed in on the rocky, colorful shapes on the edge. Before his inner eye he had already smashed the coral reef, torn apart anemones and fish and nudibranchs, and scattered the moss all over the place. His muscles were so tensed his fins fanned out, ready to flap and amplify his speed and strength.

He jolted to a stop, however, when he noticed a blotch of color in his nest. An unfamiliar mix of silver and gray with white accents, rolled together in the center of the moss underground. For a moment Vanitas simply stared at the shape, his skin prickling with contained anger, and a heartbeat later the form moved and stretched, a head covered in silver-white hair rearing up.

"Ah. There you are," the mer spoke, the hint of a smirk on his lips. "I've been wondering when you'd show up." Lazily he stretched his arms above his head, joints popping, before he rose from the bed of moss with flourish.

Vanitas merely narrowed his eyes at him, dangerous ruby daggers waiting to pierce. "Get the fuck out," he snarled, fins and gills flaring and already filling with his blood. Even his dorsal fin fanned out at the hot, blinding fury pounding in his chest.

His fingers twitched again, desperate to sink themselves into the pale flesh and tear it open. Only through shier power of will Vanitas managed to hold back, although his soul sang at the thought of seeing Niriku die through his own hands.

But, unnervingly so, Niriku merely cocked his head, a playful gleam in his teal eyes. "Your nest turned out pretty nice," he commented, hair floating as he turned toward the reef. "I wasn't able to take my eyes off it once-"

Before he even finished Vanitas lunged forward with a roar and lifted talons. He narrowly missed Niriku - the little fucker had a good reaction - but he managed to nick the skin on his side anyway. Vanitas lost no time and swung his tail, hitting Niriku hard enough to make him grunt and float backwards, though he kicked his tail as well.

The hit against his side was unexpectedly strong to Vanitas, put the pain was dull compared to the ache of his heart. Humiliation, rejection, and loneliness were enough of a burden; he would allow anyone, especially his rival, to add to the pile. And yet Niriku had the nerve to smirk and flap his fins as he glided out of Vanitas' next slice, even went as far as to grab a hold of his wrist - the digits digging tightly and deep into his skin, but the claws not hurting him regardless.

Caught in fury and impatience Vanitas swung his other hand up as well, narrowly missing Niriku's head, and before he could react one of his arms was forced behind his back and pushed up, his other wrist ending up in the other pale hand. Growling Vanitas struggled in the hold, but Niriku's grasp was unyielding. However he made the mistake of hovering too close - and Vanitas tilted his head forward and snapped his sharp teeth into the closest bit of skin he could reach.

Niriku cried out as the first taste of blood hit Vanitas' tongue. They twisted and turned, their tails trying to curl around the others' with so much force and momentum they spun on the spot. After a moment Niriku twisted Vanitas' arm up higher along his back, so far up Vanitas felt the unnatural, painful pull on his elbow and shoulder, but still he kept his teeth clamped down with a guttural growl. Only when Niriku nudged his arm up another few pebbles Vanitas finally released him, a pained howl spilling over his bloody lips.

Immediately Niriku relieved the pressure on his arm, but he held onto it as he swam quickly behind Vanitas. He pressed their joined hands hard against Vanitas' chest, pinning him against Niriku's in return, and though Vanitas squirmed and tried to sink his claws, which were trapped between their bodies, into flesh he didn't succeed.

It didn’t stop him in the slightest though.

Almost frantically Vanitas kicked his tail and even jerked his head back to headbutt Niriku, but he never got quite close enough to do any real damage. They grunted and clicked and snarled at each other between heavy huffs, merely slowing down once their movements became sluggish.

“Quit… already!” Niriku pressed out through gritted teeth, barely holding onto Vanitas as he kept trashing wildly.

“Screw you!” Vanitas growled back, trying to bite down on the hand on his chest, but his neck was simply not long enough to reach.

“What in the-” Niriku cut himself off with a grunt as they hit the ground, tossing up sand as they squirmed and rolled around, battling for dominance. However with his better position and larger frame, Niriku managed to pin Vanitas down long enough to curl his tail around his, silver and black scales scraping off at the friction and scattering around them. “Seven seas is your damn _problem_?!” he eventually finished, panting hard and gritting his teeth.

Vanitas trashed for a few more moments, but the exhaustion from the week and their quarrel were finally taking their toll. He coughed as some sand was sucked in through his gills, rubbing his insides in all the wrong ways, though there was nothing he could do against it. Chest heaving with his heavy breaths he stilled, blinking his eyes to keep them clean of sand and tears, and he bit the inside of his cheek as he glared up at Niriku.

He didn’t get it. He didn’t understand _why_ Niriku decided to wait for him and feign ignorance and interest about his nest. Fuck, he’d been _in the first row_ when Vanitas made a complete fool of himself in front of nearly the entire tribe as the mermaid of his dreams blew him off. And yet he was currently sitting on top of him, pushing him deeper into the sand after the poor excuse of a fight he put up.

“You already took Naminé,” he choked out, barely able to stifle his sobbing, “What fucking else do you want?”

Oddly enough, Niriku scrunched his face up at the question. “What do you mean, Naminé? I- _ooh_.” Suddenly his eyes widened and his mouth hung open, but he got a hold of himself back in a heartbeat. “This is a misunderstanding. I’ll explain,” he quickly said before flicking his tail, instantly relieving the pressure on Vanitas and backing off.

Vanitas took a moment longer to catch his breath, bizarrely intrigued. The surprise seemed genuine enough and, when he thought about it, he hadn’t really sensed any malice in the air. At least none beside his own.

“You mistook me for my twin-brother, Niriku,” the silver-haired mer explained with a calm voice. “My name is Riku. I thought you knew since Sora and I are best friends.”

Confused Vanitas narrowed his eyes. “Riku isn’t short for Niriku?” he asked, suspicious still. Though, the longer he looked at Riku - _really_ looked at him - the more he recognized him. He had a familiar air about himself and his hair was rather long, reaching well passed his shoulders, while the silver codfish’s who Naminé fancied barely went passed his chin. Vanitas was fairly sure he couldn’t grow it out like that in just a few hours.

“My brother and Naminé had always been sticking together. Honestly, I’m not that surprised by them ending up as mates. He even left out last mating season to wait for her.” A small yet fond smile tugged on the corner of Riku’s lips as he spoke, though he averted his eyes. “I thought I’d do the same. Maybe wait for Sora to come of age and watch over Niriku this season. But then… I noticed you.” His eyes flicked back, locking with Vanitas’.

His glance was so intense the teal orbs seemed to glow in the dim light of dawn and, for a moment, Vanitas was out of breath all over again.

Something about that gaze… Riku was looking at him as if… as if…

Vanitas had no words to describe it. Yet he reached out, mesmerized, as Riku extended his hand to help him up.

“I watched you build the nest. In fact, I was surprised how fast and strong you are,” Riku told as he slowly swam toward it, Vanitas trailing after him. “At first I didn’t really get what you were making. But once you added corals and anemones, in so many colors, I was deeply impressed. And the fish and nudibranchs!” Gently Riku reached out and nudged a sun coral with a finger, chuckling as it squirmed and rolled into itself before warily fanning out again. A tiny smile was on his lips as he sat on the moss, tail curling underneath himself, and Vanitas followed the motion and sat little distance from him, too. “I’ve never seen anything more vibrant and alive. As I waited for you to return, I kept seeing more and more little details and animals, but I think there’s still more. I could spend hours just sitting here and drawing.” Absently Riku bend down and reached for a piece of driftwood, one of the blank canvases Vanitas found for Naminé. He managed to see a few lines on the dark surface before Riku pulled it close to his chest.

"But what really got to me… was the moment we met the other day." Riku's voice was quiet and he pressed his lips tightly together, eyes trained on the canvas he held. Slowly, carefully, he turned the piece of driftwood around and held it out.

Just as careful, even a little hesitant and wary, Vanitas took the canvas while always holding eye-contact. Only once the driftwood was resting on his lap he looked down - and gasped in awe.

On the driftwood was a picture of his face. It wasn’t as good as Naminé’s, less details and the angle odd, but what instantly caught his attention was his eyes. They glared back at Vanitas, black orbs with brownish outlines, and he couldn’t help but shiver at the brief flash of danger rolling through his body. He had not the slightest doubt the merman on the picture would tear him apart if he made a false move - just like he warned Riku when he told him Naminé would be his in the end.

“When you declared war to me,” Riku whispered, “I wished to be the one you meant. To be the one you claimed so fiercely and wooed with all your being.”

Vanitas swallowed hard, trying in vain to rid himself of the tight feeling in his throat while his heart thumped so strongly in his chest he worried it might leap out.

“By the way, the pen you made is excellent.” Riku cocked his head as he delicately picked up the item and held it in the palms of his hands. “The tip went through the wood as if it was sand. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“It’s made of bortz,” Vanitas quietly replied as he clutched the picture against his chest. He felt strangely attached and protective of it… and definitely wanted to keep it. “Some kind of diamond that’s sharp and sturdy.”

Riku’s face lit up with understanding. “The same material you used for your spear, right?”

Despite the weird feeling in his gut, Vanitas couldn’t help a slight sneer. “You noticed?” he asked, mildly impressed. Only the elders had identified the material he used for Void Gear so far, Xehanort even complimenting him for his choice.

“I thought it’s too hard to shape, but this looks crafted regardless. How did you do that?” Curiously Riku lifted the pen to his face and examined it from several angles.

The sneer on Vanitas’ lips grew. “I have my ways.”

Riku flashed him a playful smirk, but soon his face schooled again. “You’re amazing, Vanitas. I don’t get how anyone would turn you down. And yet…” As he trailed off he looked down, fidgeting around the pen and picking on the soft moss underneath them. He seemed almost flustered, the skin around his nose darkening just a little bit but amplified by his pale complexion. “I’m glad Naminé didn’t chose you. It gave me the chance to approach you myself.”

It felt… good. To hear such genuine praise and close observations from someone outside his family. Being Sora’s friend, Vanitas didn’t expect much from Riku, but he turned out to have sharp eyes. And, admittedly, his body wasn’t too shabby either. He had an iron grip and quite some muscle there despite his soft, almost feminine appearance. If it weren’t for the flat chest and impressive arms, he could easily pass as a mermaid.

However, as flattered and warm Vanitas felt, Riku was still a mer _man_ by the end of the day. Even if he somewhat confessed, well, _some_ kind of affectionate feelings and Vanitas' soul vibrating with joy, they couldn’t possibly end up as mates. The wish for a family of his own - little ones that would be his legacy through flesh and blood - had rooted deep in his heart, so deep he already saw them before his eyes, and he couldn’t have that with Riku no matter how much he wished to.

He should have known, though. Fate had never been kind to him - why would it now?

Some of his doubts must have shown on his face, because next thing Vanitas knew, Riku tentatively reached for one of his hands and gently ran his fingers over it. “We don’t have to rush anything,” he said, voice barely more than a whisper. “We can get to know each other until I ovulate.”

Wait…

Ovulate…?

Vanitas’ brain short-circuited as he snapped his head up with wide eyes. Riku merely glanced back, a hint of confusion on his face.

“Ovulate,” Vanitas repeated incredulously.

“Yes, ovulate,” Riku confirmed, if a little baffled. “I wasn’t really planning on mating this season and my body needs a while to adjust to the new role, too.”

“But you’re a merman,” Vanitas replied with a twitch of his fins. He didn’t like being made fun of and even if he _maybe_ somewhat liked Riku it wouldn’t stop him from kicking his tail if he had to.

“Yeah…?” Riku tilted his head again and blinked slowly, carefully studying Vanitas for a moment. Whatever he searched though didn’t show up so, instead, he murmured, “Could it be… you don’t know?”

“Don’t know _what_?!” Vanitas snapped, his patience running thin. He had the feeling he was missing something important, but no matter how hard he wrecked his brain, he just couldn’t figure out what.

And Riku, the fucking codfish, had the audacity to _laugh_. Laugh! So hard his whole upper body shook and his eyes squinted shut, his gills and fins fanning out around him. Even the bite on his shoulder started bleeding again at his jerks, though it was just a small trickle of crimson.

Only when Vanitas swung his tail hard enough to slap him across the head did he stop, though snickers and chuckles still escaped Riku as he tried to calm down. “We can develop eggs, too, though it takes a lot more to trigger it than with mermaids.” His shoulders still rose with suppressed laughter, but Riku’s eyes only held fondness in them as he locked eyes with Vanitas. “Elder Yen Sid just said so during his speech. Weren’t you listening?”

Caught red-handed, Vanitas felt his cheeks heat up. “H-he rambles anyway!” he barked out, as if that was the perfect reason for him to space out. At least his skin was so dark his blush shouldn’t be noticeable.

Riku’s warm chuckle and gentle squeeze on his hand still made the tips of his fins twitch though.

“Don’t worry. I’m used to mers with short attention span.” He winked with a mischievous grin, chuckling when Vanitas responded with a glare - which ended up a lot less piercing than usual.

However the light mood shifted then, the water around them feeling charged up all of a sudden. When Vanitas looked up he saw Riku avert his eyes as soon as they met, and he found it somewhat difficult to gaze back, too.

“So,” Riku said after a while, breaking the strange silence between them, “Would you… perhaps…” He felt around with his free hand, reaching at the spot where Vanitas had put the large brain coral and pulling forth a yellow, star shaped fruit. “Share a Paopu with me…?”

Again Vanitas swallowed, the webs on his hands tingling. He still had to process the information Riku gave him, but his heart was at peace and his chest felt warm. The little ones before his inner eye came more into focus, tiny creatures with dark and light scales and rich laughters.

Absently Vanitas turned his hand around, gently pressing his palm against Riku’s, feeling his rapid, nervous heartbeat through his skin. “Yeah,” he eventually whispered and leaned in, ruby eyes half closed as he waited for Riku to do the same.

The smile Vanitas received was small, yet the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The teal of Riku’s eyes shone as he gently pressed one of the tips against Vanitas’ lips, his breath hitching when sharp teeth closed around the fruit and sunk through it, tearing off a generous piece. Vanitas didn’t pull back as he slowly chewed, the sickeningly sweet and tardy taste filling his mouth.

He could have sworn Riku’s hand trembled a little as he, too, took a bite off the Paopu.

Their eyes remained locked as they ate the fruit in the privacy of Vanitas’ - of _their_ nest. However when Vanitas finished the last piece, tongue lapping at Riku’s fingers for the remainders of the juice, the mood changed yet again. Vanitas felt his gills flaring as he took deep breaths, a giddy nervousness taking over his being. “Now what?” he eventually asked.

Of course Vanitas knew what mating included… basically. But it was still his first season ever and he’d rather get his tail cut off than ask Ventus or his stupid friends for advice, so he was a bit at a loss. As confident as he felt the last few days, after the emotional turmoil from barely hours ago he was just drained and insecure and downright _nervous_.

The smirk Riku flashed him was predatory as he slowly, so endlessly slowly, leaned closer and closer until their noses almost touched. “It’ll take a while before I’m ready,” he whispered, the water ghosting against Vanitas’ lips as he spoke. “Until then… I could teach you a thing or two.”

Vanitas’ entire body shivered as a hand laid against his chest and gently pushed him down into the bed of moss, his neck bobbing with how forcefully he swallowed. His skin tingled under Riku’s experienced touch and he gasped when he gently rubbed his tail against his, sensual and in a way there was little to no friction between them.

  
  


Vanitas had come to raze his nest into the ground - but now, he found himself never wanting to leave it again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> God, this haunted me. Actually, another idea does, too, but this piece wouldn't leave me alone Q.Q  
> And with MerMay drawing to a close, I spend all my time on this piece. 
> 
> I kinda enjoyed working on this :D Merpeople gives vast opportunities and it was easy to figure things out in this set-up. Since they live under the sea, I tried to give it more of a feel by making oceanic references. So inches became pebbles, foot turned into tails, and jellybrain is the new idiot lol. Given the unique setting and AU, I approached Vanitas differently in this piece. I'm a bit unhappy with how Riku turned out, but can't think of a way to improve it :/ at least not in such little time. 
> 
> Wonder about the name Niriku? Well, Ni is Japanese for two, so basically Riku-2 xD
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this read. I'd love to hear your thoughts about it :D
> 
> Regards and happy MerMay,  
> -T


End file.
